Scotch Bonnet - North Carolina State Shell

The Scotch Bonnet, a colorful and beautifully shaped shell, is abundant in North Carolina coastal waters at depths between 500 and 200 feet. The best source of live specimens is from offshore commercial fishermen.

The General Assembly of 1965 designated the Scotch Bonnet (pronounced bonay) as the State Shell. (Session Laws, 1965, c. 681).